Machine for washing fruits and vegetables



W. PINK y maman' ron msnm :'fx'm'n'sl nm vacunar-xs Filed Juno 17, 1925 my@r Wlnesses." nveno'r:

ll'altemted Oct. 30, 1928. l

UNITED` sv'rivrasI PAT-EINT- OFFICE.

WILHELM FINI, or BONN-oN-THE-RHINE, GERMANY.

.IIAcHINEron WASHING FaUrrs AND VEGETABLES.'

Application mea miie 17, 192'5, serial No'. 97,839, and in Germany october 9, 1924.

The machine is of that type in which a sieVe-trough'with a rotatable wing-shaft or a rotatable sieve-drum is placed in a. tank adaptedto contain washing-fluid for fruits and vegetables.

When the above said substances are washed, it is not difficult to remove sand, earth, and like impurities, because they sink to the bottom of the washing-tank; but it is very difiicult to get rid of lighter impurities, such as particles of grass, leaves, needles of r trees, moss andthe like substances, because the `float on the surface of the Huid together wit the material `to be treated. The machine according to this invention executes this work in a simple but perfect and very economical manner. In the accompanying drawing which represents the new machine:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on line a-.a in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line b-b in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line c--c in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line d-d in Fig. 3. L'

Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modified form of the new machine.

The tank 1 is adapted to contain liquid for treatin fruits as above mentioned. Within the tar is 4placed a sieve-trough 2, in which is mounted a shaft 3, which can be rotated by a pulley 4 or any other suitable contrivance, in the direction of arrow 5. On the shaft 3 are fixed wings 6, the blades of which are made oblique, in order to move the treated material forward in axial direction. Instead of a wing-shaft may be used anyv other contrivance which is suitable to agitate the fiuid and m'aterial to be treated. Underneath the sieve-trough, the tank 1 is divided into compartments 7, 8, 9. The outer situated compartments 7 and 9 communicate by channels 10, of` which one or more may be used according to the length of the machine.y The channels 10 may be shaped and arranged in any suitable manner. In the compartment 9 is placed a sieve 11, in vhorizontal or incllned position, the latter position being preferable in order to obtain a larger sieve-surface.

When the tank 1 is filled with iiuid and the shaft 3 set in motion, the wings 6 act both as propellers and paddle-wheels. The uid and the material to be cleaned are agitated by ithe wings, by which action all impurities are washed oil' from the material.

sand. and are uke impurities fau down through the sieve-trough to the bottom ofthe compartment 8, in Whichfthey are separated from the circulating, Huid-current as described below. The sediments accumulated 1n the compartment 8, can be removed periodlcally by a valve 12 or someA equivalent. By the propellingaction of the wings, the material to be cleaned will be driven to the end of the machine, where it will be delivered. In the same time,t'he fluid will be driven by the actior of the wings, across the sieve-trough by which movement the surface of the fiuid willbe lowered inthe comartment 7 and raised in the compartment 9.

he resultof the di'erencein hei ht of surface is a constant circulation of the uid through the .channels 10 in the direction ofthe arrows 13, as long as'the wing-shaft is in rotatlng motion. The flowing movement of the uid causes all floating impurities, which may pass through the holes of the sieve-wall to go into the compartment 9, from where they flow. 'off through the sluice-way 14. Such impurities which are drawn down by the draft of fluid within the compartment 9, will be retained' by the sieve 11, through.-

which the Huid is caused to pass by its c1rculating movement. In this way the uid is automatically freed from all im urities, and enters on the opposite side of yt e sievetrough practically thoroughly cleaned. The sieve 11 may be placed in any suitable manner to enable it to retain the impurities from the circulating fluid. The fluid discharged by overfiow'thru the sluice-way, may be supplied in any suitable manner.

In the modified ormof the machine, represented by Figs. 3 and 4, instead of a sievetrough is mounted a sieve-drum 2 on the shaft 3, which can be rotated by a pulley 4,

in the same manner as the wing-shaft in Figs. 1 and 2. The drum 2 on the inside 'is fitted with obliquely mounted blades 6 which ters designate similar parts in the several v VBWS'. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

loo act 1n the same manner as the wings in Figs.

I A machine for washing fruits, vegetables and the like, consisting of a tank adapted to contain Washing fiuid, sieve means and rotatable agitator means therein adapted to contain and agitate the objects to be washed mounted in the upper portion of said tank, vertical partitions arallel to axis of said rotatable agitator dividing the lower portion of said tank into compartments, said tank being provided with a passage permitting a ow of said washing lud from one outermost compartment to the other and a sieve interposed in the path of fluid How caused by the rotation of said rotatable agitator.

WILHELM PINK. 

